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The best day-trip from Louang Phabang is the picturesque, multi-level Kouang Si waterfall (entry 2000K), which tumbles 60m before spilling through a series of crystal-blue pools - a great spot for a picnic and a swim. The "no swimming" signs posted at the upper pool appear to be intended simply to dissuade you from spoiling photo opportunities, which is not an issue during the week. Vendors near the lower pool sell tam m a k hung, fruit and drinks. The steep path on the opposite side of the falls leads to a grassy meadow filled with brilliantly coloured butterflies. The path can get quite slippery, and several barefoot trampers have broken a leg here. Since foreigners are no longer able to rent motorbikes in Louang Phabang, visitors to Kouang Si are forced to rely on other forms of transportation to reach the waterfall situated 35km southwest of Louang Phabang. The most pleasant option is by boat down the Mekong River - many of the same boat drivers running trips to the Pak Ou caves will also offer to take you to the falls. This entails taking a tuk-tuk for the last portion of the journey, something which is handled by the boat driver and usually worked into his fee: check when negotiating your fare. Boatmen hang out along the Mekong riverside and charge $20 for a boat that can accommodate up to ten people and a further $4 for the tuk-tuk. You can also do the whole journey by tuk-tuk ; if you can assemble a group this works out quite cheap ($10 return). Drivers, who can be found at the Hmong market, will wait for you while you visit the falls. A few kilometres before the village of Ban Tha Pene and the waterfall, a small elephant camp offers hour-long rides to the waterfall (daily 8am-noon & 2-5pm; $2 per hour). Accommodation near the waterfall is available at a charming guesthouse ($5-10) in the idyllic lowland Lao village of Ban Tha Pene. It's run by the owners of the Vanvisa in Louang Phabang and offers six basic en-suite rooms. Turn right before the hill leading out of the village, cross the footbridge over the stream and you'll see it on the left.
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